Dispensing machine



March 25, 1930. w. G. CRANKSHAW 1,752,067

DISPENSING MACHINE Filed 0st. 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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March 25, 1930. w. s. cRANKsHAw DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Oct 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 M ma W@ m 1 5 w A w A :Pw i n? w L I 4 w a 6 w 3 1 v 0 I m. u Z 6 Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES WILLIAM G. CRANKSHAW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DISPENSING MACHINE Application filed October 13, 1927. Serial No. 225,875.

, This invention relates to a dispensing machine for plastic or semiplastic material, such as soap ordinarily used by mechanics and other tradesmen.

The invention isdirected particularly to a machine which can be mounted at any desirable point and which is operable to dispense small quantities of plastic material, preferably under a coin control system. Machines of this character make possible production of the soap in relatively large units, thus to eliminate small containers or cans. In a prior application I have shown a machine of this character wherein small slices of the plastic material or soap is dispensed from a relatively large body of the soap. The body of the soap is in the form of a cylinder, and it is divided in segments, a slice from each segment constituting a portion which is dispensed. The present invention is aimed at an improved machine wherein a cylindrical body of soap is divided into segments after being placed in the machine, and wherein the machine is constructed so that the new charge of soap is divided on exactly the same line or lines of the previous charge of soap so that the machine can be refilled before a charge of soap is completely exhausted and the new charge will be divided into segments which exactly correspond to the segments of the partially used charge. The invention herein provides a simplified construction throughout, and also contemplates a feature wherein the contents of the machine are substantially sealed from the outside air at all times, so as to prevent drying out of the plastic material.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side view of the machine with the top removed and with a device for dividing the soap into segments removed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a weight for resting on the soap which also includes the sealing device for keeping out the air.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. l with the soap dividing means in place.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on line3-? with the soap dividing means removed, showing the bottom of the machine in plan.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 1, showing a coin control mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 showing the coin control and bottom.

The machine is in the form of a cylindrical container 1 having a base portion 2. The cylindrical container 1 is provided with a bottom 3 which is fixed immovably with respect to the container, and which is helical in form, as shown in Fig. 6, thus to provide an opening i. The bottom portion 2 is provided with a recess 5 which is positioned below the opening a and which is of a size to receive a portion of the dispensed material, as will later be brought out.

A vertical rotating member 6 extends through the machine, and the lower end is provided with a ratchet wheel 7 The container is provided witl a slot 8 through which projects an operating handle 9 which may be pivotally mounted, as at 10. This operating handle is provided with a slotted portion 11 (Fig. 5) which, in the normal position of the handle, immediately underlies a coin receiving slot 12 in the housing. The coin which is dropped through the slot engages in the slotted member 11 and behind one of the teeth on the ratchet member 7. A movement of the handle in a clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 5) thus moves the ratchet member 7. The machine is provided with a partition 13 along which the coin slides during this movement, and at the end of the movement the coin drops through a slot 14 into a coin receiving chamber 15 in the bottom of the container.

Thus, i will be seen that by placing the coin in the machine the ratchet may be moved a distance. In the present instance this distance is equal to one-sixth of a circle and there are six teeth on the ratchet wheel 7.

A body or" soap or plastic material is disposed within the container 1, and this ma terial is provided with a central opening or hole for the purpose of receiving the upper end of the member 6. The body of the soap rests upon the helical shaped bottom. After member 18 is provided with an opening which corresponds to the cross sectional shape of this upper end of the member 6. After a body of soap has been placed in the container the bladed member is then forced down through the soap with the blades dividing the soap into six segments. There may have been, however, some soap left in the machine, and

' of course it is desirable to divide the new ments of the preceding 'of the handle, the member 6 rotates the bladed member 16. These blades serve to rotate the entire body of soap within the container.

segment by the portion 19 of th bottom whicl charge of soap on the same lines as the old unused soap. This is assured becauseof the fact that the bladed member can only be placed on the member 6 in certain positions because it must be positioned to fit the ce1;--

tral member 18 onto the squared'member After the bladed member has been pushed downwardly as far as it will go, the new charge of soap is severed into six segments, and these segments are in line with the seg-. unused charge. Upon placing a coin in the slot and actuation This movement, as shown in the drawings, is onesiXth of circle, or just one segment. Accordingly, a slice of the soap is cut off one ms the upper bounding wall of the open- I This slice of soap falls into the recess 5 and may be removed. Each succeec ing operation slices off a piece of soap from g each segment.

For the purpose of assuring that the soap is placed downwardly against the helical bot- 4:5

tom, a weight 20 may be placed into the machine on top of the body of soap therein.

This weight is provided with a central openmg 21 which fits over the member 6 and the members 19, to rotate therewith. It is des rable to keep the outside air away from the body of soap to prevent hardening or drying thereof, and for this purpose the weight :20

may be provided with awasher of more or less compressible material 22 which hasa 'wioth somewhat greater than the weight 20 itself, and whichcontacts closely wit ill interior-walls of the container.

T his washor may be of felt or s milar material, and by contacting tightly n the walls of the container, seals the soap within and prevents the entrance of A suitable cover (not shown) can be provided for the machine, and it may be locked on if desirable or necessary. A suitable opening under loclrand'key can be provided for the coin chamber in the bottom of the machine.

While it has been advantageous to describe this machine with reference to soap, it is adapted for use with various sorts of plastic materials, one other example of which is ice cream. Moreover, the body of the material in the container can be divided into a smalleror greater number of segments, depending upon the size of the machine and quantity of material to be dispensed with each operation. The upper end of the central driving member is advantageously oblong or square in cross section, but it'may be otherwise irregular in cross section so that thebladed member will always be placed in the central member in proper position. Y

Claims i I 1. A dispensing machine for "plastic substances, comprising a container,'-a partition in the container dividing it intoupper and lower sections, said partition being adapted to support'a body of plastic material in the upper section and provided with means for severing portions of the material from the body, operating mechanism in the bottom of.

the container including'the shaft which extends upwardly' through the partition and into the upper section, a member having radially extending blades insertable over the shaft adapted to sever the substance into segments upon insertion thereof, said member engaging the shaft to rotate therewith whereby the radially extending blades rotate the body of substance within the container. I 2. A dispensing machine for plasticsubstances, comprising a container, a partition 111 the contamer d1v1d1ng it lnto upper and lower sections, said partition being adapted to support a body of plasticmaterial in the upper section and provided with means for severing portions of the material from the body, operating mechanism in'the bottom of the container including the shaft which extends upwardly through the partition and into the upper section, a member having radially extending blades insertable over the shaft adapted to sever the substance into segments upon insertion thereof, saidmember engaging the shaft to rotate therewith where by the radially extending blades rotate the body of substance within the container, the

said shaft and insertable member being sin I ranged to cooperate with each other sothat the insertable member can be placed in the container only in given positions of its radially extending blades, whereby the plastic substance 1s severed on given hnes.

8. A dispensing machine for plastic sub; stances, comprising a container, a partitionin the container dividing it into upper and lower sections, said partition being adapted to support a body of plastic material'in the upper section and provided-with means for severing portions of the material from the body, operating mechanism in the bottom of the container including the shaft which extends upwardly through the partition and into the upper section, a member having radially extending blades insertable over the shaft adapted to sever the substance into segments upon insertion thereof, said member engaging the shaft to rotate therewith whereby the radially extending blades rotate the body of substance within the container, the shaft being of square formation in cross section, and the said member having an opening fitting thereover, whereby said member can be inserted only in given positions of its radially extending blades to sever the plastic substance only on given lines.

4. A dispensing machine for plastic substances, comprising a cylindrical casing, a helical partition in the casing provided with a radially extending opening, a shaft extending through the partition, means below the partition for rotating the shaft, said partition being adapted to support a body of plastic substance, a member having radially extending blades insertable in the container, and said blades serving to sever the body of plastic substance into segments upon such insertion, said member cooperating with the shaft to be driven thereby, whereby rotation of the shaft rotates the plastic substance with respect to the container, and the helical partition and opening therein severs portions from the body of plastic substance.

5. A dispensing device for plastic soap or similar material, comprising a cylindrical container, a bottom for the container upon which the material rests, said bottom having a discharge opening disposed substantially radially there being a cutting edge at one side of the opening, said container being adapted to receive a single body of material, means insertable in the container having blades for cutting the single body of material lengthwise into a plurality of sections, and means for effecting relative rotation between the bottom and the body of material with step by step movement with each step corresponding to the sizeof the sections of soap whereby the cutting edge severs a slice in the body of the material to be dispensed, with the said slices being uniform in size as determined by the sections into which the body of the material is divided.

6. A dispensing device for plastic soap or similar material, comprising a cylindrical container, a bottom for the container upon which the material rests, said bottom having a discharge opening disposed substantially radially there being a cutting edge at one side of the opening, said container being adapted to receive a single body of material, means insertable in the container having blades for cutting the single body of material lengthwise into a plurality of sections, and means for eflecting relative rotation between the 

